Flowering stretch phase with LED

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harrythehat

Well-Known Member
Under HPS I go into flower with photoperiod seeds @ 18 inches end up with plants finishing a bit over 5 foot generally
What's the stretch phase like with LED?
Happy growing
 
H

harrythehat

Well-Known Member
Yes know there's no heat issues.
Generally I only defoliate as needed
Normally under 600 HP's I would go into flower @ 18 inches app
Where would you go into flower bearing in mind light is 150 watt led
 
Apostatize

Apostatize

Well-Known Member
To get the most out of my LEDs, I try to get the canopy low and uniform so the entire plant is in the "fruit zone." If you buy LEDs, get ones that don't have the ballast attached directly to the light/fixture. LED v. HPS, LED generates less heat; and LED has even less heat when the ballast is a cable away. I can get my 66" Fluence Ray LEDs mere inches -- trying to get them ~10" before stretch -- from the top of the canopy without burning it. With LED, if your plants vary in height, you'll likely see a significant drop off in yield on plants further away from the light, even though your light meter puts them above the minimum threshold for flowering (you'll probably want to exceed the minimum by 2 or 3x).
I experimented with various trellising techniques and now use a combination of (1) a layer of cross-hatched 18 gauge steel wire (toward the top of the canopy) (not essential, only use it in one tent) and (2) cork weights hooked toward the end of branches (start young, remove the weights once the buds are big enough to replace them) (I consider cork weights essential). I prefer topping, adding cork weights, defoliating, and encouraging secondary branches over popular techniques like lollipopping.
 
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H

harrythehat

Well-Known Member
Apostatize said:
To get the most out of my LEDs, I try to get the canopy low and uniform so the entire plant is in the "fruit zone." If you buy LEDs, get ones that don't have the ballast attached directly to the light/fixture. LED v. HPS, LED generates less heat; and LED has even less heat when the ballast is a cable away. I can get my 66" Fluence Ray LEDs mere inches -- trying to get them ~10" before stretch -- from the top of the canopy without burning it. With LED, if your plants vary in height, you'll likely see a significant drop off in yield on plants further away from the light, even though your light meter puts them above the minimum threshold for flowering (you'll probably want to exceed the minimum by 2 or 3x).
I experimented with various trellising techniques and now use a combination of (1) a layer of cross-hatched 18 gauge steel wire (toward the top of the canopy) (not essential, only use it in one tent) and (2) cork weights hooked toward the end of branches (start young, remove the weights once the buds are big enough to replace them) (I consider cork weights essential). I prefer topping, adding cork weights, defoliating, and encouraging secondary branches over popular techniques like lollipopping.
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Interesting technique I go for keeping a plant in a sq foot not topping or trellising just defoliating and trimming excess. Had half a led grow the veg half and it made a lot of difference to the plant in general
Will be interesting to see how this one goes it's in grow journals. The Hat's back if u want a decco
 
Wastei

Wastei

Well-Known Member
With 18w per square meter they will stretch more than normal. It's not about what kind of lights you use but the total amount, spectrum and usable light that controls stretch.

Then of course you have things like kelp and PGR's to control stretch. Cheers!
 
H

harrythehat

Well-Known Member
Wastei said:
With 18w per square meter they will stretch more than normal. It's not about what kind of lights you use but the total amount, spectrum and usable light that controls stretch.

Then of course you have things like kelp and PGR's to control stretch. Cheers!
Click to expand...
Dude have a 2 X 2 grow area roughly
5 plants
150 watts led

Don't ever use that swear word here.
PGRs would not use them if it was. Well it is my life no way not ever. Friggin things are cancerous.
 
Wastei

Wastei

Well-Known Member
harrythehat said:
Dude have a 2 X 2 grow area roughly
5 plants
150 watts led

Don't ever use that swear word here.
PGRs would not use them if it was. Well it is my life no way not ever. Friggin things are cancerous.
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Haha you go ahead being narrow minded. You probably already used PGR's in natural extracts. There's mimetic compounds and synthetic alterations on natural compounds. There's PGR's that should never be used like paclobutrazol. There's not many PGR's that are cancerous if used correctly.

Practically every harvested vegetable been sprayed with BAP for at least 50 years for added shelf life. Mimetic compounds is often easier and sometimes safer to use than their natural counter part. Don't bash what you don't know. Cheers!
 
J

JonCreighton

Well-Known Member
going from a 600 hps to a 150 led has got to be a pretty drastic drop off in light.... even if u got that LED inches from the canopy... LEDs are more efficient yes,,, but not 4x more efficnt...

assuming the spectrums are equil i think u will see more stetchinug from this grow as the plants are reaching for the weaker light
 
J

JonCreighton

Well-Known Member
very stain specific aswell... sometimes ill run two strains in the room... same ppfd same spec same nuits cycling... sometimes strains can literally be twice as tall as the adjacent strain..
 
7CardBud

7CardBud

Well-Known Member
I noticed a big difference in the amount of stretch when switching from HPS to LED. It also has to do with the type of diodes on the board. The HLG R-Spec I use has no source of Far-Red so the amount of stretch vs HPS was about half as much. I can't speak for different boards with included Far-Red, maybe someone that has used them can chime in.
 
J

JonCreighton

Well-Known Member
7CardBud said:
I noticed a big difference in the amount of stretch when switching from HPS to LED. It also has to do with the type of diodes on the board. The HLG R-Spec I use has no source of Far-Red so the amount of stretch vs HPS was about half as much. I can't speak for different boards with included Far-Red, maybe someone that has used them can chime in.
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the left side of the spec (blue, maybe uv) seems to hold stretching down... it tells the plant ur right in the sun.. ur all good

a higher percentage of right side of the spectrum (red, especially far red 730ish).. tells the plant ur in the shade.. stretch for that sun

proabbel why plants eems to absord red more than blue from an evolutionary perspective.... then think they need to be efficent w the photons cuz the days ending or they are in the shade and arnt going to get many photons

i think light intesity maybe have more of an impact than spectrum.... but all thigns equal spectrum makes a diffence.
 
H

harrythehat

Well-Known Member
7CardBud said:
I noticed a big difference in the amount of stretch when switching from HPS to LED. It also has to do with the type of diodes on the board. The HLG R-Spec I use has no source of Far-Red so the amount of stretch vs HPS was about half as much. I can't speak for different boards with included Far-Red, maybe someone that has used them can chime in.
Click to expand...
 
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